Tag Archives: school

It might sound ridiculous to some to suggest that a dorm room can be haunted, but to others it makes perfect sense. If you think about it, more has happened in a single dorm room than happens in most apartments or houses. There are too many reports of hauntings in dorm rooms to ignore.

There are some things to consider before you decide if your dormitory is haunted or not. To start with, ask yourself these simple questions.

Is your dorm building new or has it been around for a while?

Is your campus historical or newer?

Is the location of your campus near or located on any historical sites?

Has any major event happened near or at the location of your dorm?

Let’s dissect each of those questions and why they are vital in determining if your dorm room is truly haunted or if it’s just old plumbing that is causing all of the noises you hear. If your dorm building is older then there is more of a chance for something to have happened where you are staying. Many believe that ghosts or spirits are commonly found in locations where something major has happened before. It might not seem like a life changing event to you, but if something happened in the past that an apparition considers vital then it is possible you may have a lingering guest.

If your campus is historical then there is also more of a chance that some major event has happened on campus. It makes sense that if your campus is haunted then the ghosts won’t just stay in one place. If you are experiencing a haunting on campus then it is likely that others are too.

If your campus is located near any historical sites that might have not so pleasant pasts then it is also likely that some bad energy has ended up on your campus. Lastly, if a major event happened near your dorm that could cause a haunting then you are much more likely to be experiencing a haunting.

If you or anyone else on campus has experienced the following, then it is likely you have a real haunting.

Hearing strange noises at odd times.

Hearing someone saying your name or speaking, even though nobody else is around.

Doors shutting, windows slamming shut, things falling over, even though nobody is around to have done it.

Floating objects.

Shadows or movement that is unordinary.

Strange reflections in mirrors.

Sudden change in temperature.

Unusual fog or glowing orbs in photos.

Flickering lights.

Abrupt loud noises that don’t seem to have an immediate source.

Reports of hauntings in dorm rooms or on campuses are common, so don’t feel alone when looking into this. Sometimes the strange things that happen can be explained away with simple logic, but in many cases there are no logical explanations other than to admit that an actual haunting might be occurring. This article is not to give advice on what to do if you have a haunting because every situation is different and might require different action, but rather this is to help you decide if you have an actual haunting or perhaps just live in an old building where old wiring can explain your sightings.

Please take time to let us know your haunted dorm room story in the comments section.

It’s not a secret that taking notes can sometimes be frustrating, especially if you have a bad pen or pencil. Lucky for you, we have three brilliant solutions to make taking notes enjoyable and effortless! Remember, a good ink pen can be the difference in a good day or a bad day when it comes to getting those notes down properly during class.

1. Uni Alpha Gelll Ballpoint Pen – Don’t you just love it when you’re taking notes and the person you’re listening to emphasizes a certain point? You know that it is very important, but all that you have is your black ink pen, I guess you could just put a star beside that point and hope that you notice it later on when you review them, or you could get a pen that has two different ink colors built in! This pen has both black and red ink options built into one single ink pen. You will still get a smooth ink flow and nice looking results, only now you will have a little more option!

2. Morning Glory Mach 3 Roller Pen – If you want a sleek pen that is seriously built for structured notes, don’t hesitate to get the Morning Glory Mach 3. It has a modern and noticeable name to match it’s truly fantastic design. This is a very professional pen that will give you professional results.

3. Pilot Acroball Ballpoint Pen – Not all pens will give you a smooth line of ink and enjoyable writing experience, but this one sure does. It gives your writing just enough boldness to stand out and make legible notes. It’ll be hard for any other note taking pen to compete with the affordable price and superior quality of this pen. If you’re like me and like to doodle and sketch in the margins of your notebook, this pen will also work great for that. Talk about a win-win pen!

Being a book reviewer for the last two weeks and having many of my books reviewed by others, I tend to see a lot of commonality in reviews. Mistakes, gestures, and things that are just inappropriate for a book review. It is one thing to tell someone that their book is great and others should read it. It’s practically a cliché at this point. Reviewers have to make prospective readers thirsty and energized in interest to the point where they want to purchase the book. Book reviews have the same flavor and sensitivity as a sales pitch.

How do I write a book review? Where do I start? How long should it be? Common questions with various answers! I only speak, in this blog post, from personal experiences as a book reviewer. When you begin writing a book review, start off thanking the author for their publication. You can include if you won the book through a giveaway, but know that this is a necessary evil. After being complimentary, start addressing the overall design of the book. What feeling did you get when you looked at the front cover? Does the title give off the main idea? Are the designs on the front and back covers an act of symbolism? Does the small wording on the back cover heighten your interest to open the book? These are the things prospective readers want to know.

The next portion of your book review should address the grammar and punctuation. Yes, something not often placed in reviews. It’s imperative that you get someone else to check your grammar and punctuation. Go through an editor or agent, if you have to. You’ve read the book. So, did you have to stop and almost stutter because the fragments were not revised properly in the sentences? Did the author wean off topic for a long time without reeling you back into his/her main purpose? Prospective readers and book reviewers look for the author’s purpose, focus, and moral in every story. At this point, you can begin considering the format and layout of the book. Was the table of contents outlined correctly? Were page numbers included? Was the book entirely too long with unnecessary information in chapters? Was the font and alignment of each page hard to conceptualize? Think about this when writing your book review.

These pieces to a book review are great, but the most crucial and last component of the book review should be recommendations. Make the sales pitch! State the type of audience who should be reading the book and address any internal/external feelings they may run into. Is the book full of adventure and suspense? Is it religious? Are profane words and derogatory remarks made in the book? Why is this so important? The prospective reader wants to know if they’re the right audience! For instance, I’m a poet and when I read reviews for poetry books, I want to know if the books are centered on the same themes I write about and read about. If I was a counselor and the book is full of adventure, but doesn’t hold a dramatic event requiring counseling for someone, this may not be the book for me. Make your recommendations and state why such audiences are the right candidates.

In closing, have fun with your book reviews! Don’t make it into an assignment or required duty. Don’t treat it as some book report or an exhausting activity one does when they finish a book. Write your review while you’re in a happy mode and when you think and concentrate about the interesting pieces of the book. Even if the book is terrible, don’t come right out and say, “this is the worse book to buy.” Mention the author’s weaknesses and give suggestions on how they could become strengths. Don’t tear down your author publicly, but address horrible matters through private communications.

Good luck and I look forward to seeing some of your book reviews out there!

Once in a while, in the midst of the ‘flirtationships’, the hang outs and million calls, you meet someone who you just know is your future. (author unknown)

In the first part of this article, I expressed the notion of taking it slow in a romantic relationship. Doing this gives you the chance to evaluate your desires and expectations for a relationship. More importantly, it can help you get to know your person of interest and this is the essence of flirting done right. You gain mutual interest with a person you like, you get acquainted, and somewhere along the line, you find your lifelong partner! Just about every pop culture magazine and publication has ideas and advice for flirting with others (Just google something to the extent of “ways to flirt”). Though here are some basics:

Make eye contact and smile. They are basic ways to show and express interest.

Be casual in conversation with your love interest. Compliment them, and try not talk about yourself or complain too much.

Leave them wanting more. Leave a conversation before hitting an awkward pause. Let them know you enjoyed your interaction and hint at doing it again.

Be confident and be yourself. There’s just something about confidence that’s sexy. Some tips suggest some extra primping or practicing your looks and moves before facing your interest. If you can, perhaps even listen to a favorite song or two to pump you up. And put aside the negativity in your mind. You are an awesome, likeable, interesting person!

Don’t you know it’s going too fast,
Racing so hard you know it won’t last,
Don’t you know, what can’t you see,
Slow it down, read the sign, so you know just where you are going.
Stop right now
Thank you very much,
I need somebody with the human touch,
Hey you, always on the run,
Gotta slow down baby, got have some fun. –Spice Girls, “Stop”

If you know (or just listened to) this song , it’s probably stuck in your head now, but I couldn’t help but to think of it while creating this article. The social aspect of the college experience may give you a lot of opportunities to either spend a lot of time mingling or spend a lot of exclusive time with that “special someone”. Whatever you’re doing, and wherever you are in terms of romantic relationships this Valentine’s season (single, taken, just starting out, ect.), take it from the Spice Girls and stop for a minute, slow down, and think about yourself and your attitude towards the relationship at hand. Here are some reasons to decelerate things a bit in these matters:

For yourself. Most college students are figuring out who they are and who they want to be, and perhaps you are too. Know thyself before intimately knowing someone else. Figure out what your goals, values, and desires in life are before bringing another person into the mix. And make sure your baiting and dating won’t distract you too much from your school work.

For protection. Surely you know haste can make mistakes, and that can apply in forming new relationships as well. Don’t assume too much of the other person or dive right into serious matters early on, or else someone will be driven away and leave a broken heart. Get out of situations that make you feel uncomfortable or avoid them altogether. The right person will respect your boundaries.

For the sake of time. Don’t make it a high priority and goal to marry around your graduation time! Make the most of the few years you have in the unique social environment that college is. There’s too much to do to be tied down with someone so quickly. Focus on forming friendly connections before a romantic connection.

For your future. If marriage is seriously a thought for your future, then take your dating relationships seriously. Get to know the other person like a best friend. Get to understand their thoughts and feelings, learn about their values and life goals. If there is common ground or room for compromise, then you’re on the right track for better and for worse.

When you hear the word “loot” you probably think of treasure. Well, Bike Loot offers a monthly subscription box filled with “treasures” that any cyclist would love. Their monthly subscription box is reasonably priced and offers a wide variety of gear and snacks that will keep you going. Everything from energized candy to give you that extra boost that you need to make it that extra mile, to lightweight bags that help you keep your gear with you at all times. You truly never know what they will send you next!

The box is specifically designed for people who ride bicycles. Think about it, you probably ride a bike to school or work and have had days where you need an extra boost or some encouragement to keep going. The variety of products included in this box are sure to give you that extra boost of energy or encouragement that you need. There’s a fantastic community of cyclist in the world, and it’s finally time for them to get a service that was designed just for them!

The subscription is priced so that anyone can afford to get it. Put a little surprise in your month while getting useful supplies that it worth the money that you spend and get this box. This is a quality company that focuses on delivering high quality products for cyclist around the world at an affordable price. It sounds almost too good to be true, but trust us, it’s not. We have tried just about every subscription box available, and this one is different because of the fact it is specifically tailored to improve your life as a cyclist. If you ride a bike, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t check out www.BikeLoot.com and consider getting one of their boxes.

Taking out a student loan to fund your college education is inevitable, but the major concern remains the fact that you don’t incur any unnecessary levels of debt. You see, high levels of student loan debt ultimately act as an impediment to economic growth. You’ll later find it increasingly difficult to make investments or start your own business or even make any proper financial decision simply because of the student loan debt burden. Now just like it’s important that you take steps to pay off your student loan debt, similarly it’s equally important that you estimate the correct loan amount which you’d be able to pay off ultimately.

Estimating the right loan amount to avoid debt

When you’re going to college and fact that you’ll take out a loan to fund your studies, then keep in mind the following

1. Take good advice: It’s always rather important that you talk to someone and take some good advice. You see as a student borrower it’s quite obvious that you don’t have enough experience to actually make any particular financial decision and that too all by yourself. You should talk to someone who has a certain amount of experience and expertise in this domain.

2. Have a clear focus: It’s rather important that you have a clear focus about what you’re doing. It’s a fact that borrowing extra money isn’t good. However, there exists a simultaneous concern wherein borrowing less than required money can also lead to financial troubles. You should never forget the fact that you absolutely need to take care of all your expenses once you’re out of college. It’s this extra money that you borrow that can go a long way in helping you meet expenses until you find a better source of income.

3. Know your limits: Just like it’s important that you don’t end up borrowing less than what’s needed, similarly it’s important that you borrow with certain limits. Borrowing an exorbitant amount isn’t the solution either, for it can lead to rather massive debt troubles later on. Keep in mind the reasonable limits so that your future dreams and plans don’t get stalled right away.

4. Have a monthly estimate: Before you actually apply for the loan, it’s important that you sit down and calculate or rather come up with a practical estimate about how much you can dedicate towards loan repayment every month. Depending on this calculation, you should get a fair idea about how much you can borrow.

5. Keep your payments lower than income: It’s rather important that you keep your debt payments lower than what your projected income is going to be. See, you shouldn’t make the mistake of borrowing more than what you can earn.

Pixar’s favorite monsters are scaring on the silver screen again! This time, they’re at college learning about what it takes to make it in the scaring profession. It’s not an easy task as Mike and Sully’s relationship starts out on a sour, envious note. Though they fight one another to be the best, they end up forming a bond with each other and some other interesting monster misfits in efforts to thrive and survive perilous situations. They get in trouble with the school, compete in some insane Greek life competitions, face social humiliation, and even work together to get out of the human world. Their shenanigans and misadventures unfortunately get them expelled, but the same optimism and determination that got them through college life got them to their dream jobs!

Walt Disney had once said, “I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained.” In the nature of any Disney Pixar movie, Monsters University is, of course, an entertaining, family-friendly feel-good movie. And I feel it fulfills Disney’s vision in being a great portrayal college life for being a product of fantasy and imagination. The story line of the movie puts the characters in situations that are very relatable to the college bound and even current college students.

Just starting college can be scary, even though no big, hairy monsters actually roam the campus. The fear may come from being overwhelmed by homesickness, fitting in, facing a new social environment, or high academic expectations. But despite all that, many new college students are like Mike. They may have anxiously awaited and prepared for their opportunity to participate in higher education, and will feel a number of emotions when that time finally comes. They are giddy, excited, in awe and wonder, optimistic and full of plans for their days ahead.

You meet many unique people at college. Jocks, artists, emos, nerds, nontraditional students—college has them all, and they all have their own reasons for attending the same school as you. A big reason might be the programs offered, just as Monsters University offered a prestigious scaring program in which many monster students aspired to participate. Some students, like Sully, may attend a particular school out of respect to a family legacy. Sully seems to come from a family of scarers well-known to people around the campus. Perhaps he is following in the footsteps of his parents in attending that school.

The important thing Monsters University emphasizes is the measure of success. Certain college programs or even college itself may not be for everyone. If you change majors in college, or if you are unsure of what to pursue, it’s alright. It’s a reality for many. Mike aspired all his life to be a scarer, and he eventually realizes he is not cut out to be one. It doesn’t have to be the end of your life though if that happens to you. Mike took his talents, traits, and his new friend Sully to the bottom rung of Monsters Incorporated and had nowhere to go but up from there. It wasn’t so much a college education and degree that made them the top scaring team of the original movie, but instead it was their determination, talent, and friendship that got them far. Like Mike and Sully, you may not have a college degree, but then again you may not need one. Success is how you achieve your dreams, and you probably already have what it takes to get there!

Monsters University is great for everyone! Current college students or even former college students will enjoy its relation to the life of pursuing higher education. You just might see yourself in the unique characters or relate to their experiences if you’re one of those people. If you’re a high school grad or college-bound, I hope this movie and interesting insight inspires you! Don’t start the next semester until you see this movie! It’s definitely entertaining, and might even make you think on your life, your education, and your thoughts on success.

You’re a busy college student…attending classes, doing homework, studying for tests, working a job…when it comes to cleaning your dorm room, you’re probably thinking, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” But when your friends or family are coming over to your room soon, how do you possibly manage to perform a room makeover in such a short time? Relax, you don’t need to call in a renovation crew from a home improvement TV show to get the job done. You would do it about the same way you manage your coursework and college life…with a little routine and management. These tricks will help you maintain your space and don’t require much time out of your busy schedule:

Make the bed. The bed is probably the biggest piece of furniture in your room, so if the bed is made, then part of the battle for a neat-looking room is won!

Contain your laundry. Hang your clothes in the closet. Shove them in the dresser (and try to avoid them sticking and hanging out too much) Put your laundry basket to good use. A pile or two of laundry in one place is better than it being all over the place.

Organize your homework. Neatly stack your books and papers on your desk or shelf. Store writing utensils in a desk drawer, a cup, or some other container designed for them. Stowing your supplies in your book bag is also an option.

Recycle. Waste products like bottles, plastic, paper, and cardboard can take up space in your trash can. Save some space and take those things to a recycling receptacle if possible.

You’re a busy college student, but keeping a clean room doesn’t have to be one of your many daunting task. Just take a few moments each day to get your things in order, in one place, or out of the way and it shouldn’t be a huge problem!

Tutoring is a smart idea if you’re struggling at a particular subject in school. The personal interaction and guidance of a teacher or more competent student can make study and homework sessions very productive. A tutoring service that’s available anytime and anyplace is SmarThinking. It’s used by many colleges and universities, particularly to provide academic assistance when and where they can’t. This “virtual teaching assistant” is easy to use and caters to every subject. SmarThinking gives many options for interaction: you can immediately contact a tutor with drop-in tutoring, or schedule to meet one at a later date, or submit a question offline. (They try to answer within 24 hours) You can even get writing help for any subject or a resume and cover letter. The service is prompt and personable, and the program even saves your activity so you can refer to it again later. Having difficulty in a class? Smart students take advantage of tutoring, and its SmarThinking to use a good service online.

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